Repetition
by leeksandmisosoup
Summary: [One Shot] Can repeating one wish make it come true? Entry for Make A Wish Summer One Shot Minific 2006 on MediaMiner.


Disclaimer: All InuYasha characters belong to Takahashi Rumiko, which is too damn bad.

* * *

As an eight-year-old Rin pranced after a God-knows-how-old Sesshoumaru, she wished she could stay with Sesshoumaru for ever. 

She had just gotten stolen from the demon named insert name here, saved by human monks, and saved again by her Sesshoumaru-sama. Telling the monks that she wanted to stay with Sesshoumaru had made her happy, but her heart saddened when she spotted a human grave. Rin wasn't as naïve as you'd think. She knew the ups and downs of life, the births and the deaths, the rebirths and the afterlife. She knew she would eventually die, but that wasn't what scared her ---she had already died once. What scared her was the thought of having Sesshoumaru forget her; never remember having had her in his long, long life.

So she asked what bothered her: "Sesshoumaru-sama, when I die, will you remember me?"

"How silly."

Well, Rin couldn't exactly guess what was going on in his mind at the moment (or any time, whatsoever), but she was pretty positive that he meant that it was a silly question and of course he'd remember her. And she walked after him, smiling all the way.

When they reached Aun, Rin clambered up onto his saddle. She gave him an affectionate pat. Sitting up straight, she heard an, "Iku zo."

As the two-headed dragon swayed its way after their master (with Jaken waddling in front with the reins, of course), Rin watched Sesshoumaru up ahead and thought of how beautiful and surreal he seemed to be.

Rin gave the dragon another pat, wishing all the while: _I wish I could stay with Sesshoumaru-sama for ever._

Sighing, she closed her eyes and leaned back, letting her head fall back as she felt the summer sun on her child face, wishing moments like these would never end.

* * *

Now, a twelve-year-old Rin sat across the fire from a God-knows-how-old (+4 years) Sesshoumaru. 

The fire crackled and burned, sending ashes this way and that. Jaken slept on Aun's side, Sesshoumaru lay on his side, and Rin sat there, mesmerized by the fire.

Rin wondered how fire could look so beautiful, yet be so dangerous. The colours amazed her and she reached as if she wanted to pet them. As her fingers neared the fire, her eyes took on an entranced look. And just as she was about to reach it, her hand was caught.

Shaking her head, Rin glanced up at the youkai holding her hand. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Rin, do not touch the fire. It will burn you."

She knew he didn't mean it that way---- the way he made it sound like he was explaining this to a child. She _knew_ she was still a child, but she knew that fire burnt things. She wasn't stupid.

Her obedience kicked in at that moment, and destroyed her resolve to tell him off (not that she could've anyway). So, instead, she replied with a: "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Frowning slightly, Rin turned her head to stare (or should I say, glare) at Jaken. If only he could be awake to kill the tension in the air. (Did she only feel it?) Of course, that's when she became painfully aware that Sesshoumaru was still holding on to her hand. So, she coughed to get his attention. It worked, and his hand dropped hers. Now that it was gone, Rin half wished he would pick it up again.

She now noticed his disappearance from across the fire. Turns out he went and sat against a tree trunk a few ways away. He stared up at the crescent moon, and reached his hand up to touch the blue crescent on his unmarred forehead (not that his face was marred, either).

Watching his ethereal being, Rin realized she never wanted to die. She wanted to have a life time to match his---- she wanted to stay with him for ever.

As a twinkling star made its way onto the black canvas of the summer sky, Rin squished her eyes shut and made a wish. _I wish I could stay with Sesshoumaru-sama for ever._

* * *

A 16-year-old Rin ran along the beach with a God-knows-how-old (+8 years) Sesshoumaru watching. 

She ran around under the blazing hot sun, searching for the best seashells on the sandy shore, giving little giggles of glee every now and then. It felt great to let out her inner-child.

Usually, inside the manor and its grounds, Rin had to act mature, adult-like, and responsible. Out here, on the ocean shore, she could become the free-spirited, fun-loving child the two youkai knew her to be.

Playing with the waves---- running towards the sea when the waves went back and scrambling up the shore when the waves came crashing back in---- was one of her favourite things to do here. It made her laugh and smile, making Sesshoumaru feel like he had accomplished something.

She bent down on her knees and made a lop-sided sand castle, smiling at him when she was done as if she was incredibly proud. Her palms were sticky from the sweat that trailed down her back and other sweaty places thanks to the hot, summer sun. She made a sand-Jaken and a sand-Sesshoumaru. (Both of which were very horrible, though the sand-Jaken had a remarking resemblance to the kappa-youkai. At least that's what Sesshoumaru thought.)

She proceeded then to pick up all her seashells and show them to him.

As she made her way up the sandy bank to where her saviour stood, she misplaced her foot. That means she ended up putting her foot in a very soft spot where her whole foot sunk and her leg collapsed and--- well, all in all, she tripped. Up went her arms and down went her body, but with her arms, so did the seashells go.

This action was causing Sesshoumaru to turn his head and smile (a really tiny smile, mind you) and step back. Coincidentally, this stepping-back act caused him to place his heel on the side of a very thick and large root. Of course, like any normal youkai with bad balance and posture (which isn't Sesshoumaru at all) that you and I see every day, he ended up tripping backwards and landing very hard on his rump. Ouch.

"Itai," came from the black-haired, brown-eyed girl in the sand.

Another tiny smile came from the taiyoukai. He stepped up (gracefully, this time) and reached out his hand to help his human ward up. She clasped it, and he hauled her out of the sandy hole with which her foot was entrapped. Seeing as how he is a youkai (the last full-blooded, _royal_ inuyoukai), it looked like no sweat and was no sweat, too.

After getting up, Rin proceeded to get back _down_ and gather up her seashells. She picked the nicest (or so she thought), and thrust it into Sesshoumaru's face.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I picked this seashell for you. It reminded Rin very much of Sesshoumaru-sama." A smile accompanied this.

Sesshoumaru, being polite, picked the beige and gold-coloured seashell up off her small palms and placed it in his haori. A nod Rin's way, and a smile in return.

Turning to go, Sesshoumaru said a soft, "Iku zo."

Rin gathered her other seashells, shoved them in her pocket, and ran to catch up. Glad that he'd kept it, she gave the same wish she always gave. _I wish I could stay with Sesshoumaru-sama for ever. _

And off they went.

* * *

A twenty-one-year-old Rin walked up to a God-knows-how-old (+13 years) Sesshoumaru, who sat in his study, contemplating. 

A soft knock came first, a grunt in response, and then Rin walked in with a glowing candle in one hand. She slid the shoji door shut and placed the candle on his desk. There were already many candles that littered the room, but the darkness of the summer night sky was taking over Sesshoumaru's paper.

Rin turned to walk out, hoping not to have bothered him that much, but was stopped by his deep voice calling out.

"Rin, come."

And she went, like the obedient woman she was.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Looking up, Sesshoumaru stared into Rin's eyes. Was the child he knew gone? Had she completely changed into the woman she was now? Hoping that wasn't so---- for the child in her made him smile (itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny smiles) ----- he gestured to the papers that he held in his hand, by shaking them lightly. He opened his mouth to say something when a delighted shriek came forth from Rin's mouth.

"Sesshoumaru-sama? You kept it? Ri--- I mean, I am so happy. That one was always my favourite!"

For the taiyoukai of the Western lands, it sure took him a while to understand what her outburst was about. Ah, the seashell; the beige and gold-coloured one that she had handed to him five years ago. It seemed like just yesterday she had thrust it under his nose, and it scared him that human years could go by so fast. It scared him even more when her time would come and she would depart this world where he was and enter the next sans him.

He watched her cradle it and stroke it as if it were a pet of some sort. She looked so peaceful at that moment that he didn't want to see her stop. But there were more pressing matters, and the papers in his hand proved that.

Clearing his throat, and watching her jump in surprise, he waited until she had placed the shell back on his desk before talking.

"Rin, we have gotten a few" --- he waved the papers (which, trust me, were _more_ than a _few_)--- "requests for your hand. Many of these youkai this Sesshoumaru has met and deems them… _acceptable_. If you choose to mate with any of these youkai" --- now he thrust the papers at her--- "this Sesshoumaru will set up a meeting at once, so you may meet them and decide if he is the one you really want to mate."

A nod, which quickly turned into a shake, of her head, Rin stood up abruptly. A look of complete determination crossed her face, and out came her determined words.

"Se-Sesshoumaru-sama… I was wondering if… maybe… Rin doesn't want anyone to be her mate. Rin wants to stay here with you!"

Looking away quickly to hide her blushed red face, Rin wrung her hands. All the other candles save the one she had put on Sesshoumaru's desk had all gone out.

A hint of a smile crossed his face. "Hai. Rin, this Sesshoumaru will notify them at once that this Sesshoumaru's human ward is not taking a mate… ever."

Rin shot him a smile, and bowed, "Arigatou gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

With that, and a little wish (you know the one: _I wish I could stay with Sesshoumaru-sama for ever_, etc.) before Sesshoumaru blew out the candle, Rin opened the shoji door for the both of them so they could retire for the evening.

* * *

As a 36-year-old Rin scooped food into her mouth across from a God-knows-how-old (+28 years) Sesshoumaru at the large, and long, dining table in the dining room, she couldn't help but think how lucky she was to get to stay here and be here with her protector. 

She took a moment to stare out the window at the rising sun against the summer horizon. Dawn and dusk were always her favourite moments of the day. The beauty of the sun rising or setting always brought a certain calm on her soul. It made her burdens lighter and her heart warmer. Nothing could top those moments.

"Rin, is something the matter?"

"Ah! Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin, I mean, I was just contemplating." A brilliant smile and the far-away look returned full force.

As much as she loved living here, being on Earth, she sometimes wished she was in a different place at a different time. She wanted to be free, accompanied by Sesshoumaru, and to never have to be what she always knew people thought she was: a filthy, disgusting ningen.

She was lucky to be one of the few humans to live with a youkai, a _tai_youkai, and not killed on sight.

What saddened her was that one day, Sesshoumaru would find his mate and give her, the lovable (or so she thought) ward, the ol' caput.

Turning back to her miso soup and her bowl of rice (which she quickly shoveled into her mouth), she asked with a mouth full of rice, "Sesshoumaru-sama, when are you going to find your mate?"

Crossing her fingers underneath the table and hoping it wasn't anytime soon, Rin waited patiently for his answer.

"When the time comes for this Sesshoumaru to find his mate."

Eh? What kind of answer was that? A bad one, for it made our dear Rin dreadfully upset.

"Demo, Sesshoumaru-sama, you have to at _least_ know _when_ you should be getting a mate! You have to at _least_ have some candidates in mind! You _have_ to mate _some_one! You'll be lonely for… for forever if you don't! And most of all, I want you to be happy!"

Oops.

Sesshoumaru's gaze softened and his head tipped to the side as he regarded her. A little lift of his lips when her blush deepened, and he reached across the table to pick up her hand.

"Are you done with breakfast, Rin?"

A nod was his answer and he pulled her out into the gardens. Sitting her in a bench where he also sat, right beside her, he gazed down into her chocolate depths, still holding onto her hand. He readjusted the grip he had on her hand, and gave her one of the few smiles he gave… er, no one, really.

"Rin, this Sesshoumaru is immensely grateful that you wish him to be happy. But, this Sesshoumaru is not ready for a mate. He does have candidate in mind, but she can't be with him that way. He… I really wish for it to not be so, but it is, and this Se… I can't change that."

Rin's heart tightened when he told her he had a person he wanted. But how could he not have her? He was the Lord of the Western Lands. He could have anyone he wanted.

"Dare? Who is this candidate that you cannot have?"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes slowly and dipped his head so his forehead rested against hers. As quick as ever, he tilted his head and pressed his lips against hers.

A million thoughts ran through Rin's mind at that moment. Example: _He loves _me Here's another example: _What do I do?_ And another: _I hope Jaken-sama doesn't see this._ And, of course, my all time favourite: _I wish I could stay with Sesshoumaru-sama for ever._

And that's when Rin began kissing back.

* * *

A 45-year-old Rin lay beside a God-knows-how-old (+37 years) Sesshoumaru in his bed. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama, are you still awake?"

A grunt came in reply. So, Rin continued.

"Won't the hime-youkai that came here smell something on you or me when we go down to see her?"

"Probably not. She isn't a very high-class youkai. I can't believe she calls herself a hime."

Sesshoumaru flipped over and pushed hair behind Rin's ear. They smiled at each other. Sesshoumaru nuzzled her throat before pressing a kiss and sitting up to look out through the window. The sun was coming out against the summer sky.

"We should be heading down now, Rin."

"Do we _have_ to?" she pouted.

It always made a small (really, really, _really_ small) chuckle come out when Rin refused to get out or tried to get them to stay in bed longer.

"Hai, or else she will see you sneak into your own room and that will raise questions that neither you nor I wish to answer."

"Fine, fine. Wakatteru," answered Rin as she slid out of the bed and grabbed her yukata. Pulling it on, she gave a wink at Sesshoumaru and slid open the shoji door. She got pulled back into a lingering kiss, then nudged out the door.

The sneaking back into her room, we don't need to go into. The getting dressed, we don't need to go into. But the meeting of the hime-youkai down the stairs, we _need_ to go into.

Sesshoumaru was already downstairs by the time cute, lovable Rin made it down. And the moment she _did_ get down the flight of old, wooden (yet, polished and lovely) stairs, all that came to mind when she glanced at the hime-youkai was: _Somebody needs to dress that woman_.

A glance between the two lovers, and Sesshoumaru almost laughed out-right at the look she gave the hime-youkai. He agreed.

The female-youkai was a reptilian youkai and her looks coupled with her sense of fashion made both Rin and Sesshoumaru want to empty the contents of their stomachs. Well, dry heave, because they haven't eaten yet. (It's morning.) It was bad that Sesshoumaru looked better than his might-be mate, who, by the way, was a female and should dress better than the male.

They ate breakfast together, Sesshoumaru denounced her and left her in tears, and the, ugh, reptile-youkai departed from the manor without further delay.

Rin and Sesshoumaru went up the stairs. Rin grabbed his arm on the way up, wishing: _I wish I could stay with Sesshoumaru-sama for ever._

Both Sesshoumaru and Rin went up to their separate---- no, wait---- Sesshoumaru's room, and cuddled again well into the afternoon.

What surprises me is that no one suspects a thing.

* * *

A 51-year-old Rin and a God-knows-how-old (+43 years) Sesshoumaru sat side by side on the sandy shores of the ocean. 

The sun was low in the sky when Rin had dragged Sesshoumaru to the beach. She forced him to sit and watch as one of her favourite parts of the day happened.

Now, here the two sat: hands held, heads forward, backs straight, chests out. (Okay, I exaggerated a bit.) They held hands, Sesshoumaru's head was on Rin's head was on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, and their backs weren't straight nor were their chests out.

They'd sat there for quite a while now, and Sesshoumaru was wondering if they would _ever_ go back into his room and do some… warming exercises in between the sheets. That's when Rin gasped.

She gasped and pointed, and gasped and pointed again. She never once said a word (unless you count a gasp as a word).

Sesshoumaru lazily lifted his head up and looked at what she was pointing to. The sun looked as if it were whole, but in actuality, the sun was cut in half at the horizon and the sun's reflection on the water was making it look whole. It really was a beautiful sight. He could see why she loved it.

There the two sat: hands held, heads on heads on shoulders, and smiling and staring as the fiery star in the universe that they called 'the Sun' brightened against the water.

Rin giggled as the waves of the ocean warped the sun's reflection. Sesshoumaru squeezed her hand tighter. The both of them turned to each other and gazed lovingly (as loving as Sesshoumaru can get).

A look into Sesshoumaru's thoughts: _Get out or this Sesshoumaru can get Toukijin and slaughter you with Souryuuha._

Okay, ano… How about a look into Rin's thoughts? Right, a look into Rin's thoughts: _I wish I could stay with Sesshoumaru-sama for ever._

That was slightly predictable.

That's when the two completely opposite people… youkai… people… decided to meet halfway, as the summer sun descended to complete darkness, in a kiss.

* * *

A 68-year-old Rin lay in her own bed with a God-knows-how-old (+60 years) Sesshoumaru at her side. 

A cough and Sesshoumaru squeezed Rin's hand tighter.

Sesshoumaru leaned forward, his face undeniably close to hers. He pressed a kiss at her right temple before she pitched forward, hand over mouth, in a coughing frenzy.

Whirling around to pin the youkai doctor with a fierce glare, Sesshoumaru asked, "Can't you do something?"

"Sumimasen, Sesshoumaru-sama, but we can't do anything for her. Rin wa ningen, dakara… Nothing we have would work on her," the tora-youkai replied before trying to shrink back into the corner.

Rin squeezed Sesshoumaru's hand, forcing him to look at her.

"Sumimasen, Sesshoumaru-sama… I won't be there for your wedding."

"Rin, youkai don't have weddings."

"But, you said you're having one, so I could see you get married."

Turning around once again, Sesshoumaru glared daggers at both Jaken and the doctor. Jaken immediately knew what the look was about and quickly exited the room as fast as his short kappa legs could carry him. The doctor, unfortunately, did not.

"Get out," Sesshoumaru snarled, teeth bared and anger flared.

The doctor nodded and, stumbling over his feet, made it out the door.

Sesshoumaru looked back at Rin. He told her, "It's you I would marry. This youkai means nothing to me. I wish it were you, many times over."

Rin gave him her most brilliant smile. A round of coughing ensued, and Sesshoumaru watched as she got paler and paler. She dropped his hand to use both to cover her mouth as she coughed. She could feel the blood in her hands, and he could smell the metallic scent that accompanied it. He reached out his right, er… his _only_ hand and ran his fingers through her grey hair.

Rin lay back on the bed and reached for his hand, keeping it in her grasp. A deep sigh escaped her as she settled herself. Her silk sheets did nothing to cool the heat of the summer night.

"Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama, ever since I was little I always wished that I could stay with you for ever…"

He squeezed her hand, his face blatantly showing his emotions though he never showed them before.

Rin gazed lovingly at him, then laughed, "But now I know that wishes don't always come true…"

Sesshoumaru sat down on the bed beside her. "This Sesshoumaru… _I_ want you to wait for me, no matter how long it takes. I'll find you in the afterlife, Rin. Yakusoku da."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Yakusoku da," were Rin's last whispered words as her hand went slack in his and her eyes closed as if she were sleeping. But you could tell she wasn't for her chest wasn't moving as if she was breathing, and now air dispelled from her slightly parted lips; lips that his had touched too many times.

As if in an angered frenzy, Sesshoumaru growled and snarled, smashing things and making the biggest ruckus he could. He gripped his head, as if giving himself self-torture. How could he live without her? How could he _live_ without _her_?

And as quickly as it had come, his angry spell disappeared. He stood, fixing his haori and his armour. He turned to Rin's still body, pressed a kiss on her forehead, and slammed open the door.

Jaken was waiting outside. As soon as Sesshoumaru had passed him, Jaken went in to give Rin his farewells. He emerged quickly to follow Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru gazed once more at Rin, nestled in the bedsheets, before setting forward down the stairs and to his wedding.

* * *

A/N: For the Make A Wish Summer 2006 One Shot contest on MediaMiner. I didn't win. 

For all of you who are wondering what disease Rin got, well, let's just say tuberculosis. (Like Okita Souji, teichou of the 1st Shinsengumi (or Miburo or Mibu no Ookami, whatever you prefer) Unit, and my favourite!)

It was my birthday on the 24th, and I got my inspiration then. It was like a birthday present .

What the Japanese mean in this fanfiction:

Arigatou gozaimasu - Thank you very much  
Dare - Who  
Demo - But  
Hai - Yes  
Hime - Princess  
Iku zo - Let's go  
Kappa - Water imp  
Ne - Hey  
Ningen - Human  
Rin wa ningen, dakara… - Rin is human, so…  
-sama - Lord  
Sumimasen - I'm very sorry  
Taiyoukai - Demon Lord  
Tora - Tiger  
Wakatteru - I know  
Yakusoku da - It's a promise.  
Youkai - Demon

Ugh… It sounds so much better in Japanese…


End file.
